Love Of War
by Commandershepards
Summary: When John Hughes life is at its worst, the former N7 Operative meets a Quarian that gives him a brighter outlook, but when this happiness blooms, he must contend with his former mentor when he tries to seize control on a galactic scale, can he stop him? For her? For everything? Sexual situations, Violence. Post ME3 (fixed chapter 4)
1. Chapter 1: A Bright New Mourning

Hello, this is my very first fan fiction story! I know this chapter might not be that good! But in the next chapters, I have improved a remarkable amount. Please, don't get mad at me and tell me to kill myself (has happened) if anyone has any suggestions with how should write, please tell me, I'll love to talk to you about it. See you later my Faithgull Bumblebees.

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><p>BEEP BEEP BEEP!<p>

Beep was all the bastardized alarm clock screeched as it was determined to rouse John from his blissful slumber. John hated this part of the day: getting up, and his still foggy mind was struggling to get up and moving. John yelled as the alarm clock kept wailing with a animosity towards the poor hangover victim.

John threw out a hand not trying to be subtle in the slightest and with a heavy smack turned the devilish device off but was followed by a clatter of glass and other pieces of trash fell off unto the floor, the racket was amplified as he heard a cup crash and winched when it hit the floor and bust into a thousand shards as glass littered the carpet. He let out a groan of pure misery.

_What the? Damn it!_

Spewing out a stream of curses, he couldn't fathom why he let those things dropped. John opened his eyes and looked at his chronometer and saw that it was currently 5:30 AM Citadel time, three hours to get ready before his friend is supposed to show up and drag him to work in the docks.

As a engineer it was his job to repair any damaged ship in the bay, from a eezo core to the microwave. John was damn good with ships. Or so he liked to boast.

He wasn't that good but he tried.

After several agonizing seconds of staring at his dark apartment John realized he was extremely uncomfortable in his current state, back bent improperly and legs hauled up, almost in the fetal position.

With a fluid motion John threw off his bed sheets, grimacing in pain as every move made a lightening bolt shoot through his aching head and make it throb twice as hard.

After a minute of growling like a feral animal as he cradled his thunderstorm of a head. He got up gingerly and began to stumble across his dark room to get to his bathroom, bright haze shone through the curtains, dust particles floating around, causing the room to look old and unused.

Once in his bathroom he began his daily ritual of donning off his clothes and stepping into the shower. As he stood there, feeling the heat of hot water as it pelted unto his muscled body, releasing knots and relaxing his body from the stress of his nightmares in his dreams of the war and its horrors, his headache ebbed away during this relaxing moment he remarked how its been four years since the crucible fired and its still brought to the foremost of his mind, no matter what he did.

After rinsing himself he turned off the water and stepped out, drying himself and as he looked into the mirror and saw his face. His bright piercing green eyes, his black hair cropped into a military style. His short but full beard covering his masculine jawline, and giving him a tough, but nonchalant look which he prided on, because it gave him a advantage in hassling on prices, making it seem as if he didn't care. His average nose fit well with his prominent cheekbones, he was only 24 but looked three years older, stress will do that do to a man.

He was skinny but tough, a heavy hitter some would call it, he liked to end a fight in a punch, not a cascade of flying fists and twirls. Nothing fancy, he liked it that way.

He looked down and cupped cold water from the sink and splashed his face, sending shivers down his spine.

With out noticing John looked down at his left arm.

Gone. At the shoulder. _Oh god, why?_

Instead of his arm there was a dark blue colored Geth arm, it was a replacement for his real one. Which was stolen from him by the Reapers._ Damn them to hell!_

He felt his breath grow ragged as he envisioned how he lost his arm, his entire platoon wiped out, a Harvester blasting it off and he barley survived the ordeal. He was found after Shepard fired the crucible, sending the red light through the galaxy, killing all the Reaper and their abominations.

Choked by his sobs he felt his anger swelling up inside of him, he quaked with rage, he was seething hatred, he despised everything in the galaxy and everyone one in it at the moment, Quarian, Asari, Volus, Rachni, Turian, Geth! John couldn't take it a moment longer, with a savage roar, threw a punch towards the mirror. When his fist connected with the glass, it produced a sickening cracking noise, then shattered into a hundred shapes and sizes, the jagged pieces falling down and slicing his hand up.

Blood seeped from tiny cuts and he realized he didn't care. but he, through instinct took some Medi-gel from on the wall and with special care, applied the supplicant. Feeling it seep in and form clots and begin the healing process, successfully stopping the bleeding. John took a moment to breathe and relax, feeling calmness wash over him.

After cooling down, he felt better, if still irked.

John looked down and tried to move the missing two fingers, his real fingers. he always believed they were still there when he wasn't paying attention, Ghost pain they call it.

He could feel the Geth arm, and he didn't know how, connected to his nerves no doubt. He Looked down at his Geth hand he remarked once again how it looked like a Quarian's hand, what with its three fingers and shape. He flexed it a few times and tested its joints to see if there were any kinks, there wasn't of course. It was Geth tech! They lived in the stuff, of course it would move like any flesh and blood would, if not better.

Finished in the bathroom he walked out with great dismay, realized he barely had any food or clothing available,

He managed to find the clothes he wanted for today scattered around the house. What he found was a outfit of a black leather jacket with a white T-shirt underneath, with his shoulder-harness for his M-6 Carnifex, which he dubbed Nightbane, it was inscribed on the handle when he got it from an old friend. He put on a pair of black jeans, his black Combat Boots, feeling satisfied with his looks. He went to his couch and threw himself onto it, spread out ungracefully and began the tedious wait for his friend.

Looking around, seeing his empty apartment, one bedroom and one bathroom, he did however love his collection of music and movies that expanded the centuries, he collected them all, he couldn't help himself.

John sighed, feeling depressed, he didn't know why he felt this way suddenly, he remarked that by all standards he was, lonely, and he didn't mind, he wasn't prepared for another being to live with him. Shaking off his melancholy feelings he closed his eyes and began to bask in his relaxation.

"Take as long as you like bud" He said as he fell into a fitful sleep. _Does it matter if I get some shut eye? Nah._

Δ

_John was sprinting, drawing in ragged breaths, sweat pouring in torrents, his tired feet aching. He was in full combat harness, Carbon fiber contorting to his features, it fit him like a second skin, kinetic barriers on their max output._

_He was wearing his set of armor, completely black and bulky, allowing some pressure to be put on him. The bright N7 symbol on his left breast plate._

_It was dark out, with heavy storm clouds boiling about, meteors filled with reaper forces pelting the earth, the city of London was ruined, a giant pile of debris and rubble, John hated fighting in these conditions, 'What choice do I have? Or humanity?'_

_He was carrying his black Revenant, he was the Juggernaut for a reason, it was hard for anyone to use a Revenant but John knew his gun and could use it effectively, knowing this fact, it tends to occurs that every platoon wanted the man with the audacity to stand up to and confront a hail of bullets and spray his personal spitfire right back at them, heedless of his own danger. John only wanted to protect his brethren. Nothing more._

_John heard the report of gunfire and a series of inhuman sounds which indicated Husks and maybe Cannibals. John sprinted faster, leaving behind his squad and commander, he vaulted over a pile of rubble and with a jarring of his teeth inside his mask, The Death Mask, Commander Shepard remarked once, after a night of drinking, he landed and continued to run, a huge pile of building rubble was approaching fast._

_"Lieutenant Hughes, get back here!" His CO shrieked at him, being left behind._

_"Fuck you Briggs! Those are our men over there! We got to save them!" John yelled back as he began to climb the mountain of rubble._

_As he toped the crest he laughed as he saw a group of thirty Human, Krogan, Geth, Salarian and Asari being huddled against a wall, surrounded by husks and a few Marauders, they were spraying bullets wildly, hitting anything that moved, he noticed husks being shredded and ripped asunder as the Krogan shotguns blasted them away and Asari using their Biotics to warp groups of them together while the rest picked them off._

_He Activated his stereo he put in his helmet, it was as loud as ten blow horns, he began to play a very old song called 'Ode to Joy' causing every thing in the area to stop and stare in befuddlement._

_Waving a hand John brought his Revenant down to his hip and turned on the Incendiary rounds. he began to fire, not caring as he spilled his spitfire unto the enemies, he laughed uncontrollably as he saw a husks head shattered into a million pieces and a Marauder ripped in half by the sheer violence from his gun, sending cybernetics everywhere, it let out a robotic screech and was silent. everywhere he hit, flames followed in earnest._

_Seeing the threat more than half of the horde came towards John, murder painted on their faces. 'Come on, get me'_

_"I'll bring you to hell with me! Come and get me! Hahaha!" He roared._

_He was now decimating their force but they were closing in and John was hit on several occasions, causing him to jerk around, his barriers deflecting each shot that would otherwise kill him. No matter how hard the husks tried they could not get close enough to him as he mowed them down, either by gun shot to a vital point or ripping them of their body parts._

_He hit a husk in the stomach and all its innards were blown out its back, another shot punctured a Marauder in the chest and it spun around wildly. The group of twenty was pushing forwards, hitting the horde from both sides. By now the rest of his platoon was there and firing full auto into the attackers with much gusto, striking down the monstrosities to smithereens. He didn't see his platoon mount the hill of rubble but was relived at their presence with him._

_After a few seconds a monstrous roar filled their ears as a skycar was thrown out of a ally way, it rolled violently about twenty times, crushing husks along its way down the road. A Brute followed suit of the car, it looked pissed to John but he didn't mind as he shoved in a new thermal clip and with a delighted smile and fired upon the thing, every other shot fired from his baby connected with the behemoth, the rounds that penetrated it sent chunks of blood, meat, and metal in the air, each shot engulfed the beast in flames._

_As it approached he clambered towards it, never ceasing his reign of suppressing power. The Brute fell to the ground as John blew its right arm off, making it fall, John took his opportunity to sever the other appendage, with it immobilized John jumped in front of it and tried to get a fix on with his Revenant to its head so he could end of quickly before of kills anyone else._

_The creature began to thrash wildly, trying to do damage to anything but was crippled._

_The creature almost threw him away with its body thrashing around, he tumbled backwards but caught himself and hauled himself back up, he quickly regained his equilibrium "oh no you don't!" He yelled as he fired again._

_With a perverted smile, John hefted the gun to the base of its skull and fired at least twenty rounds into it, the result of the execution was him being sprayed in gore, officially ending its rampage._

_Out of breath, John slid down its back and looked around and saw the sewn corpses of the unnatural horde everywhere, the others must of finished them off as he dealt with the Brute. He noticed that every single one of the bastards were steamrolled by their fury._

_"John! You did it!" Said a young man, barely out of his teens._

_His music was off by now, it served its purpose for the distraction._

_"You sure your human!? You seem more like a Krogan!" a green armored Krogan Bellowed, slapping him in his back with enough force to hurt._

_They didn't ask about his music, they heard of him and his methods, he liked the thought of being known._

_John looked at them "where are your commanders?" He saw misery and anger cross their faces as they laid out the reason for them all being grouped together, strength in numbers and because they are all stragglers, their respective units wiped out._

_"I'm…sorry…" he didn't know what to say, what was he supposed to say? 'Nothing, that's what'_

_A Geth Prime approached him and thanked him, saying he was grateful and surprised John by giving him a long serrated blade that shimmered with energy and glowed a bright blue, a Cleaver, it was able to cut through almost anything with ease, me knew because it wouldn't be long before he was forced to used it. He was happy, he didn't know what to say, he never had a Geth give him a present, it was awesome and hilarious all at the same time._

_Thanking the Geth once more he turned to Briggs "Briggs let's move!" He looked around, noticing not a single death of his comrades! He was over joyed, he felt himself almost hop with joy._

_"you asshole! You nearly got us killed! I'm stripping you your rank!" He was purple from his rage and John couldn't help but get into his commanders face._

_"Oh cut the shit! Or I'll cut it out for you!" He bellowed, rage entering his voice. He wanted to test the sword. "Now. Is. Not. The. Time! London is about to fall! Earth is going to fall! We need to gather our forces!" He hefted the blade and he saw Briggs falter, his courage shaken. The Krogans began to laugh._

_"The lieutenant is right, we have to move," said a Asari Commando, obvious awe in her eyes as she looked at him, she was not the only one he noticed "where do we go? Whats the rendezvous?"_

_"You will regret this Hughes," Briggs stated at him, noticed he was outnumbered, he accepted his defeat and yelled. "Let's move everybody! Let's go! We have to make it to the southern plaza! About a click from here!" Briggs ran and so did everyone else._

_John reloaded and ran with them. In the distance he heard the blaring noise of a reaper and thousands of weapons going off over the devastated metropolitan city, this was hell, and everyone made it back home._

Δ

After a indiscriminate amount of time he was awaken by a pounding in the door, the sound jolting John awake immediately, he was covered in a sheen of sweat and was breathing heavily, he remembered that day clearly, he remarked how he still has his Revenant and the Cleaver, the Revenant under his bed while the Cleaver was by his nightstand. Was the Prime still alive? The Krogan?  
>John shook himself and jumped off the couch, walked to the door. The constant knocking continuously went onward. John only knew one person who never used the doorbell.<p>

His best friend.

"Hold your horses! I'm coming! I'm coming you damned bastard…" he called his friend a bastard again as he approached his door, not able to quit laughing or hide his mirth., his dream pushed way from his mind.

When he got to his door he pressed the OPEN on the console, which proceeded to open the door to show a Turian. Maxilius Scripanus, his best friend for a uncountable amount of years. Max was there for John every step of the way, and John for him, the only thing that could break their friendship was a bullet, and they weren't in war anymore.

The Turian's mandibles began to twitch violently at the sight of his friend.

Something made Max in a good mood. And John couldn't guess why. Maybe he found a woman? John laughed at the joke.

Max's face was a steel gray with red under his eyes and his mandibles were the same maroon. Instead of a Turian's normal three spikes behind his head, Max has his 2, the left one was violently ripped off during a accident when they were little.

Max's eyes wide as his head could allow and he almost shouted. "A new ship docked, Spirits, our team is to fix it! Its been a week since we got a chance to work." John guffawed at Max and turned around walking into his house, knowing full well of the incredulous look Max was giving him.

Max sputtered "let's go! We will be late…" John went into his kitchen and opened the fridge, bringing out a cold beer and Dextro one for Max.

"We only have an hou-" his protests stopped dead when he saw the beverage.

"Yeah you sumbitch, you were to excited to eat weren't you?" He said as he chucked the beer at Max, who caught it out of instinct and began drinking, actually, more like chugging it.

Max could forget to eat sometimes when he got excited or something came up, it piqued Johns interest early on, because he absolutely loved to eat.

"Disrewllygoud" mumbled Max between chugs.

After a few seconds they both finished their beers and when John went out into the hall, he turned and locked his door, activating the alarm systems within. With that done they both walked to the elevator at the end of the hall.  
>When they got in the elevator John pressed the first floor button, the door closed and they began their descent.<p>

"Any information in the new ship?" John asked.

Max glanced over towards John then pulled up his Omni-Tool, he typed in something and nodded. "It belongs to some Asari named Telalhin T'saari, some rich girl, the "I'm hotshit" type, you can talk to her."

The disdain in Max's voice towards preppy people was clear, he never liked someone who doesn't pull their own weight, literally. "Fine, I'll talk to her, just…look pretty."

Max grunted and leaned against the wall, his dark red armor shining dully.

John closed his eyes and waited for them to reach the bottom.

When they got outside John stopped and spread his arms wide, eyes closed and inhaling deep, he basked in the light, loving the heat. He did this ritual every day, thankful to be alive, even if he was angry everyday. _Oh this feels nice._

Max stated sadly "you are one of the most depressed, ironic people I've met, but you always take time to do this…thing…why?"

John let his arms fall to his sides and he looked into his friends eyes, completely serious "I may be…depressed…but I still enjoy taking a breath every day…"

"You confuse me John," Max hailed a Rapid Transit Skycar. "As in your cheerful, but things can send you spiraling into a rage or a depression that makes you sulk around for days…"

"I'm fine Max, don't worry." He said.

"Is it PTSD?" He asked for the millionths time.

"No!" John said exhaustedly, 'I swear if he asks one more time!'

"Then what! You weren't like this before the Reapers war, though your military career you've been happy, what changed, what did you see? We all saw, we all lost people, the vids are true, every ones seen Khar'shan." Max seemed worried to John, he lost a lot of family and didn't want to lose anymore. Max was very protective when it came to that.

"I'm fine Max, seriously I'm fine."

Max looked at him for a moment, slightly grimaced and turned to the approaching Taxi. When it arrived they got in, punched in the coordinates and leaned back, relaxing for the long day ahead.

John was muling over the accusation from Max, he didn't see it though, he felt lost most of the time, got mad a lot more. He remembered what he saw and trembled. Forcibly pushing the thoughts away. It took a lot of his energy to do so, John was curious as to what they had to fix on the Asari's ship.

Two minutes in to the ride John leaned down and made the Skycar turn towards new coordinates. He knew Max was hungry, so was he. I_ could eat a horse!_

"What the spirits are you doing john?" Max said, Flabbergasted.

The cab swerved to the right and was once again straight, barreling towards a good restaurant they know. John looked over at Max and cocked a eyebrow. "Oh, calm down over there you big baby, were just getting some food."

Max's stomach picked a good time to rumble, breaking all of his arguments. He nodded and chuckled at Max's embarrassment.

Two minutes later they arrived at their favorite food place on the Wards, the _The Good, The Bad, The Hungry._ john loved the name, it was a reference to one of his favorite vids. It was owned by a extremely old man who, by all accounts was hilarious to John, The Old Man, which everyone knew him by, was rumored to be alive during the First Contact War.

"I'm so going eat at me a bowl of Raman!" John said excitedly.

Max cast a dignified look at his friend and laughed. "The same as usual for me."

"No fun, you never mix it up."

"Hey, watch it man, unlike you, I have a food I want!" Max said.

John laughed and they continued.

After pushing through the crowd, he noticed again on how so many people got out of the citadel before it was transported to earth, it was a miracle because the militia and C-Sec held the Reaper Forces at bay, they weren't in force because apparently it was believed that they would be easy kills.

They finally got to the bar and sat down, waiting for someone to take their order. As they waited, John brought his Omni-Tool up and checked the news,seeing nothing besides celebrity news and reports, he closed it and turned around as a pretty Asari came up to take their order.

"What would you like sirs?" She said nicely.

"I would like the Raman."

"And I would like the Turian Stew" Max said.

John looked at Max askance, to John the stuff always looked disgusting, it looked like bird meat. "You always did have the flare for the nasty."

Max looked over and punched him on the arm. "Oh shut your trap!" a few minutes later the Asari came towards them, food steaming. "Oh there is our food! Let's eat then finally go to work."

They grabbed their utensils as the Asari put their food down and started to chow down, savoring the taste of each bite.


	2. Chapter 2: All in a Days work

John absolutely dreaded tight spaces, Which he is, at this very moment, currently in. He loathed spaces where he had to crawl and not able to turn around in at his leisure.

"I'm going to fucking kill you Quinn," he said as he brought up a booted foot, propelling himself farther into the ships bowls. He hated this part the job with every fiber of his being.

"Oh, John stop your fussing, you tunnel rat," said the female voice over Johns headset within his helmet.

"seriously!? Why do _I _have to do this?" he said, almost whining. _This sucks…_

Through the microphone he heard a snicker, most likely towards his expense. "Because, your the only one in the team who knows how to fixing the coupling outputs connecting to the Eezo core. Ya dummy."

He laughed and continued.

He was suited in his environmental suit attire, mostly because at a moments notice, heat or Eezo could gush out, because in these tunnels, heat needs to be vented out and not kill a crew in a very gruesome fashion, which, by the way, no one wants to happen.

It could possibly kill him if he wasn't carful while in the tunnels leading to the Eezo core, this was of course was the only place he could reach the couplings without tearing the ship in half, which the Harbormaster objected to wholeheartedly_. Damn bastard._

"couldn't Raesin do it? The Quarian is smaller than a damned nine year old," he said into the helmet.

"You know he was switched to Repair team 65, right?"

"fuuuuck."

He propelled himself with all of his power once more and his head suddenly hit something hard.

Letting out a stream of violent curses, he looked up and saw his salvation.

The hatch.

Letting out a whoop of victory because he was one step closer to being free of his confined tunnel of death. All pain forgotten, he hastily grabbed a tool from his belt, a wrench, and undid the latches that held the Eezo core secure.

"I never did like the chance of getting cancer," he said grumpily as he pulled a bit off, putting it in a pouch

"I always did like the chance of hearing you complain!" said Quinn, laughing like hell. "Now get in there!"

"Why do you laugh at everything?"

"Because," she said, as if trying to explain the concept of a water to a child, her mirth gone. "Someone has to laugh and you are all such buzzkills, so _someone_ has too."

"uh-huh," he mumbled as he flared his Biotic abilities, his arm shimmering, his body enveloped in a dark cloud of cackling energy.

His biotics were strong but not strong enough to be relied upon strongly during combat situations but it was useful by all means, heavy lifting was no hassel, 350 pound Crate? No problem.

Lifting the chunk of metal out of the way, he pushed himself inside the Eezo core compartment.

Getting up and stretching, hearing bones pop, he sighed in pleasure. Finished with that and feeling good, he began looking around for the couplings, he finally found them and bent down to examine them._ Why the hell are they over here?_

"The hell?"

"What is it John?" Lucy asked in a worried tone.

"Nothing, their just disabled, pulled out, why though?" he said. He hated not knowing why something happened when it could cost lives.

"This _is _a older model, this is tiringly common," Lucy said nonchalantly.

John grunted his agreement and bent down, grabbing the thick wire and hoisted it up, dragging it to the huge Eezo core behind him, it was off and has been discharged before it entered the Citadel. So it didn't have the brilliant hue of purples and blues emitted from it, he always thought it was beautiful, when he wasn't getting hammered while on the alliance dreadnoughts he would would watch the Core occasionally, it was calming to him. Some of the other alliance people thought so to, Hackett thought so.

He dropped the couplings, which caused a dull _thunk, _he looked around the space, his helmets flashlight shining where he looked brightly. Looking for the place for the coupling,

"There we go!" he said as he saw the places to connect each wire to get this ship purring again.

Δ

After an hour by what his HUD told him, he finished the repairs, feeling accomplished, John grunted and absently rubbed his Geth arm beneath the suit, he didn't need a few few digits slots so he just tapped them to the back of his hand, not really caring how the drafted arm didn't fit in the sleeve correctly.

He started thinking about his tours on ships and spaced out, starring into space, his thoughts turned sour and he growled, remembering old pains.

"John, you done? Come on out, its break time!" Quinn said, jarring him back to reality.

He jumped, half expecting a Husk to come from the darkness and be mauled again. "Y-yea, I'm finished, coming."

John got to the hatch and grunted in despair, why tight places? He got down and got in, turned and replaced the hatch.

After another ten minutes of crawling, John got out of the shaft in a hurried state, forgetting there was a drop to the floor of the hanger.

"OH SHIT!" He yelled as he plummeted to his death.

He didn't feel the air whish past him as he fell a good ten feet. He felt his back hit the floor as he flipped forwards, his body's weight making him flip upside down in mid air. He crashed to the ground knocking the air out him and possibly breaking a few ribs. He groaned and rolled to his side, stars dancing in his vision.

"Ugh…"

_I'm going to die_. He thought.

He felt hands on his Envirosuit and he was lifted to his feet, when he was up he looked up and saw Max and numerous other workers, Max's mandibles twitching as he examined John, who was trying to gain his breath through wheezing.

"John, you're seriously hurt! You broke a rib or two!" Max said in a frightened voice, mandibles going stir-crazy.

"Oh goddamn it!" he said."Really?! No no no!" he said while wheezing breathe back into his lungs. White specks still flaking across his vision.

He fumed while getting his breath back but he noticed Max laughing, 'why? What's so funny about me getting hurt?'

John looked at Max, wide eyed. "What?! Whats so funny?"

Max doubled over, everyone was looking at him weirdly. As if he sprouted a second head.

"y-you- AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he looked up and his mandibles wide with delight, quivering from his laughing. "You're fine! HAHAHA! The look on your face! Priceless…"

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU MAX!?" He yelled, trying to defend his hurt pride, John was fuming, ready to beat his 'friend' to a pulp.

Some of the other dockworkers were laughing while some walked away with smiles, not worried anymore since the situation didn't involve injury, well psychically anyway.

The workers joked like this, it didn't matter, they were rough and laughs are always welcomed, even at your own expense.

John rubbed his back while he glared at Max, who was recovering from his hysterical laughter. Gasping for breath.

"Everyone is a fucking comedic." he shoved Max forwards, not subtly, towards the docks entrance doors. "Come on, time for our break…"

"okay! Hey, watch it John! It was only a joke," he said, bristling from the shove. But he continued walking to the door. Always half threats.

John was already at the doors when he looked over at Max. "oh? So the big bad bird getting his jimmies rustled?"

Max gives him a death glare, his Joly mood killed. his were mandibles pulled close. "You know I hate that."

John looked at Max, that is the only insult he freaks about, probably because he was attacked by a ferocious parrot a few years back.

They were just getting the locker room so they could part with their work clothes and get into their civvies.

"I'm hungry," Max said abruptly.

"Me to, let's go get Quinn and eat lunch." John was in his leather jacket and jeans by now, Max in his Maroon armor.

Max looked at John, his face plates scrunching and mandibles twitching ever so lightly, John could barely ever tell what his expressions meant. "You damn well know she wont join us, John."

"I'm going to at least try!" he yelled in mock bravado. "I'm _going_ to get her to take a break with us."

Max let out a laugh and buckled his last piece of armor onto his under-suit. He finished by strapping his Predator to his waist. Max and John never went somewhere without a weapon at hand, call it a Soldiers Habit.

After closing his locker, John got up off one of the benches and began to leave the locker room, Max matching his stride beside him.

John brought up his Omni-Tool and called Quinn. Both Max and John walking towards exit, going to the break lounge.

A few a few seconds she answered, her stark red hair, doe eyes, pursed lips and small facial features shone brightly. He smiled his best at her and she smiled too. If tiredly.

"What is it John?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "Time for our break, you joining us Quinn?"

She smiled sadly. "I have a few more things to do John, I'll join you in a few. Bye."

"You need to take a break, you know that?" he said, trying to make the giggly workaholic take a break. Which He has yet to see in all of Johns three years of working at the Dock. She cut John off and he brought his arm down, and continued walking. Max by his side. Feeling good, thank god.

Δ

The Beauty

She walked down the corridors, more like hoping on her bowed legs. Her Envirosuit keeping the outside world out, keeping everything that would kill her away, she hummed a tune, passing a bald human who smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes. Did he not like the Quarians?

Saena'Taalan Nar Naetalir's destination was her quarters, they would be reaching the relay soon, she would finally be able to see the Citadel for the first time and see everything she heard about! She was giddy with joy, she soaked up everything she saw, trying to learn about the galaxy before its to late.

_I__ts so big and I love it!_

She guessed she was two months within her Pilgrimage and she didn't really see much of the galaxy besides Rannoch, she silently thanked Shepard again. She noted that she has traveled to a few other places like Illium, which she almost became a 'Indentured Servant', she shuddered a let out a small whine, that was not a good day, she got out of there, thank the ancestors.

Forgetting about the incident she continued onwards with the pep in her step, down the white corridors of the_ SS Camellia,_ it was a merchant freighter and it brought passengers along its routes. If they paid or helped.

Saena passed the people on board, from Humans to Turians, and a few Asari. The Captain was a nice man, not caring who the people were, as long as they didn't cause trouble.

Once reaching her cabin she stepped to the door and pressed the panel beside it, the red light flashed green and the door slid open, revealing her Pilgrimage mate lounging on his bunk, reading on a Datapad. He was completely oblivious to her entering the cabin, it was small, like the living spaces on the Flotilla and she felt a sense of security at the bland, semi-small room.

She walked up to him and tapped his two toed foot. "Ven'Taaras Nar Heraka! Are you slacking?" She giggled out.

"No, Saena, I'm not, they let me take a break from the engineering compartment, Jacobson said he could handle it," he said tiredly. He never did have a lot of stamina for work.

"Oh? They did? They kicked me out as well, Jacobson is nice to us, annnnd we have been working hard," she said, walking beside him, Ven continued reading as if she wasn't there. The damn attention span of a Vorcha.

"well yeah, anyone would kill for a Quarian to work for them," he said, absent minded

She got next to him and started bouncing on the balls of her feet, she let out a squeak and he jumped, looking at her, freaked out.

"I almost forgot! Were going to hit the relay soon! Ven, I'll finally see the citadel!" she squealed in delight. Bouncing up and down.

"Whats the human expression? Oh yea, You got ants in your pants or something?" he said causing her to laugh, she didn't know what a Ant was, but she got its meaning nonetheless.

He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bunk, his green visor shining, his clan markings covering him were clearly visible, they took the appearance of something like squares folding in and out, all different shades and hues of green, it made it very nice to look at him.

"You can fight, Saena, and yet you have the tendencies of a little girl getting her first suit," He joked playfully.

"Shut up…" She mumbled, blushing hotly under her blue visor, which also shone as bright, her clan marking consisting of lines swirling around gracefully, with a deep beautiful hue of blue.

Some called it mesmerizing, others said it was hard to follow, the clan cloth was distributed around her body, like a corset and wrapping around her thighs, pieces also wrapped individually on her arms, her cowl hooded up on top of her head, connected to the body segment.

"Saena, you okay?" he asked, stepping close to her.

"I-I'm fine, ahhh…" she said, nervous at his close proximity.

"We need to know what were going to do once we get to the citadel…" he said worriedly, they never planed this far.

She tilted her head, ruffling the hood. "We will work at the docks, of course," she said, all nervousness gone. "Were technicians, they will hire us in a blink of an eye!"

Thinking the conversation was finished she looked away.

He started to say something to her but she zoned out as she turned and looked out the window on her left, the stars whizzing by. Nothing but the Void outside. _So majestic…_

"hmmmm…" She purred out, not listening, not really caring.

"Saena? Are you listening to me?" He said while she stared out the port window, gazing out the window.

Everything droned out for Saena, secondary. _Leave me to my thoughts Ven… _she thought.

Maybe she will meet someone while at the citadel, bring him home to Rannoch… that was a stupid idea… Her mother would never approve of an alien being her bond mate. or her father! Who would shoot him if he stepped foot in the door. The thought made her angry, if frightened because her father is a highly respected ship captain and others would probably help him.

She felt hands on her shoulders, it brought her back to reality and she turned her head to look behind her only to tap helmets with a _dink_ on Ven's visor, his head was over her shoulder, his body close. A tap between helmets is the Quarian's equivalent of a kiss and she freaked out, a lump rising in her throat, panic blazing in her chest, she started blushing and wringing her hands.

"I-I…have to go," she mumbled quickly as she squirmed away.

He seemed flustered and a bit agitated at her shyness, gently throwing up a hand as she squirmed away from his touch, why did he do that? He is just a friend to her.

_We knew each other since we got our suits! _

He didn't follow her as Saena walked as fast as her three toed feet can bring her to he door, fear of looking behind her. She quickly darted a hand to the console and tapped furiously at the devilish device, wanting to prolong her suffering with the wait!

The door opened and she walked out.

Δ

she walked down the hall briskly. _Does he like me? Oh ancestors…_ she thought, fidgeting nervously.

She wanted, no needed, to speak to the captain, he was nice and caring, he was also old and wise. If anyone knew what to do, it would be him. She didn't even want to see Ven at the moment and she felt frightened at the prospect of him trying something. She wasn't ready…

_Why didn't I go with Selu?_

Saena kept walking aimlessly, half out of it, thinking about it the moment with Ven, when she heard the alarms go off, everything went side ways and shook, the power went off, the engines dying. it was eerily quiet, which scared her because silence means the systems are shuting down.

The entire ship jerked explosively and she suddenly found her self in the air, floating to the ceiling while spinning in dizzying circles.

Another passenger, a Turian, floated towards her, panic in his eyes but then a look of command settled over his features. "Quarian! Come to me!" he barked. "We need to know whats wrong!" he grabbed a ledge and propelled his heavily armored body to her but it was to late.

"ohhhh… I'm going to be sick!" She cried out.

As soon as it begun it was over, well, the no gravity situation.

She hit the roof and the artificial gravity rebooted back on and she fell, she began to scream when she smacked the floor violently, cutting her off just as violently, if not more. She only felt a throb across her body as she blacked out, darkness closing in, congealing over her vision.

Δ

Saena groaned awake, feeling a pair of hands grope her.

"GET UP, QUARIAN!" The Turian yelled. She looked at him, who was crouched beside her. She only saw a haze of blurriness.

"I… I'm… up…" she moaned, what happened? Did the ship get hit? Then she remembered everything, the moment with Ven, the moment of no gravity.

The cackle of gunfire through out the ship could be heard.

The Turian gently focused into view and she tried to sit up as she did, a intensely sharp pain laced through her arm. "Ah! M-my arm!" she whined out and the Turians mandibles flared at the sound of her voice.

"Don't move! You arm is broken, it didn't pierce the suit, don't worry." he said, trying to calm her down.

She noticed something on the front of her visor and she focused on it, noticing a huge crack, spider webbing its way down it, she whined aloud and the Turian picked her up bridal style she then heard shouts and gunfire erupt from behind them, in the next hallway.

Oh god, the screams.

He looked at her. "I'm Major Galruns Caelnion, I'll protect you," he said confidently as he jogged down the hallway. She was cradling her limp arm, letting out whines and whimpers at the extreme pain, she felt the prickle of her suit releasing painkillers but it didn't help much.

They reached the end as they heard a Krogan bellow. "THERE IS SOME OF THEM! KILL THE TURIAN! KEEP THE QUARIAN!" They heard the reporting bellow of a shotgun as it shot its rounds, it didn't matter, the were out of range.

Galruns set her down and turned around, pistol already in hand. He shot twice before he hit the Krogan in the head, killing it, its body falling backwards and hitting its companions which was consisting of Humans, Turians and Batarians and a few Vorcha and Krogan.

Saena saw they all wore full Combat harnesses, each dark black and red. They all carried military grade weapons, they approached Galruns, he fired, taking a Turian down in a spray of blue blood. he was about to fire again when they opened up, unleashing hellfire on her savior. They ripped his shields and shredded him to pieces.

Blood splattered across her, a specks splashing her visor.

Galruns fell next to her, he stated at her, fear in his eyes, he was bleeding from so many bullet wounds she couldn't count them all, his blue blood pooling across the floor. The pirates were still coming, guns drawn, in case she had any tricks up her sleeve.

He tried to talk while on the floor next to her but all that came out was a strangled gurgling noise that sickened Saena to her core. He mouthed "Run…" before his life ebbed away and his eyes glazed over.

_No! why the nice people!_ she thought as she wailed.

Saena has by then opened the door, when she got up, turned and bolted, sprinted with all her might her toned legs could push her.

She almost tripped a few times as her left arm hung limp at her side. "VEN!" she screamed, running with renewed fervor at remembering her Pilgrimage mate.

"Get that bitch! Quickly! Don't kill her or rupture her suit! Boss wants her ALIVE!" shouted a human, shoving two Vorcha and a Batarian forwards, who sprinted after her without a seconds hesitation.

They started catching up quickly, murder painted on their horrible faces.

Why? Why was this happening!? She couldn't think beyond that point as her basic instincts and fear telling her to run or she might end up like Galruns, or worse.

She passed a window and saw the Omega Relay but kept running to her bunk to get Ven. He had to be at the bunk, he has to be!

"Get back Quarian! Hisssss!" hissed a Vorcha.

"F-fuck you Bosh'tet!" she yelled behind her, breathing heavily, intense burning in her muscles.

They kept running until she saw their Quarters, the door open. Her stomach filled with dread as she ran to the door, looked in and saw no one, just red blood on Ven's bunk bed, the bunk itself flipped, the Datapad broken. They room torn apart.

"no… NO NO NOO-!" she screamed as she was tackled by the Vorcha, flinging her cross the hall. She was weightless again, until she got a biff from the wall, dazing her.

As she hit the wall she smacked her left side of her body and her arm against the wall, her weight putting emphasis on it, cracking a few ribs and causing the fractured arm to become a Compound fracture as it was forced outside the skin, white hot pain seared its way across her as she wailed in agony .

A few moments later the Vorcha approached her while her head lolled from side to side, pain so intense she couldn't think straight. "Ven?" she whispered, squinting at the pirate. She was trapped in her own Gehenna

"No, it Worm!" the Vorcha hissed as it bent over her and slugged Saena across the jaw, denting her helmet and possibly breaking it as pain shot up her head in a lightening strike, knocking her unconscious.

Ending her torment.

They all laughed.


	3. Chapter 3: Delirium

Hello! My Faithgull Bumblebees, please give me reviews, I need to see if I'm bad at this. This IS my first fan fic, so don't go easy on me C: Thank you for reading.

Shout out to Rob Sears and my buddy Gage for reviewing and looking over it.

Saena

Its dark, she couldn't see anything, the world tipped ass backwards. Her vision blurry, her left eye wasn't working.

She hurt everywhere, body not responding correctively.

Δ

_She was on Rannoch, it was bright out, the days heat shining brightly on her visored face, heat enveloping her like a cocoon. _

Oh how it felt amazing to be be on her home planet. she never thought it to be real, as if she would wake up from this _blissful dream and be back on the Live Ships. With its crowded spaces and not so pleasant conditions._

_She finished saying the Pilgrimage vows. "-Upon my ancestral home world, I, Saena'Taalan Nar Naetalir, Swear upon my life." _

_She and the rest of her childhood friends looked over the crowd happy Elders, they were all cheering towards the children on their own path to adulthood. _

_The children waved as the parents came, the parents proceeded with wishing them luck and well tidings, advice and items to help on their upcoming travels._

_She looked at her friends, she knew them all, Selu, Lesa, Leera, Setor, Nato, Velo. Every single one a friend she loved, but she feared they would drift apart. _

_She has seen many friends go onto their pilgrimage and return strangers towards everyone they were close to, like they were changed, both mentally and physically, strangers. _

_she desperately didn't want things to change but… what can you do? Bash tradition? Maybe, but the outcome might result in exile, which honestly didn't sound all that appealing._

_'Don't think like that…' she thought. _

_She thought about it anyways._

_Saena looked around, seeing her mother and father, they came to her, arms open, they wouldn't give her anything and she knew it. They were firm believers in doing it themselves._

_"Mom, dad! I'm going on my pilgrimage!" she said, all giddy._

_Her father nodded solemnly while her mother hugged her, wishing her luck, dinking helmets with her. Her mother grabbed her hand and firmly grasped it. As if she could disappear at a moments notice. It was justified, because, not every Quarian makes it back._

_"You will do fine!" she said. "Just stay strong."_

_"I will mom, I'll stay safe, don't worry."_

_Her mother let go of her hand and she felt something on her palm, when Saena looked down she saw a credit chit, she looked closer and saw 1,000 credits on it. She gasped and immediately put it discretely in one of her many pockets around her suit. She felt a swell of affection in her chest at her mother. _

_'Oh thank you mom!'_

_Her father oblivious to the transaction, continued his gazing around, but kept a firm gaze on her. He had to keep up appearances, he is a huge political figure._

_"Oh, mom this will be fun! I'll see the Citadel, Illium, Thessia, maybe even the Krogan DMZ! everywhere!" she was bouncing on her toes by now._

_"Just remember sweetie, the boss wants you alive," she said suddenly, her hand resting on Saena's helmeted cheek._

_She stopped bouncing immediately, looking at her mother, panic rising and a lump coming up into her throat. What did she say? What boss? Saena couldn't help but take a step back._

_Her father came up beside her mother, looking at her mother. "To bad we can't take her suit off, always wanted a piece of Quarian ass," he said, not sounding like her father._

_Instead, like a Batarian._

_Freaking out, she backed up and bumped into another person behind her. "W-what are y-you talking about?" she stuttered. _

_"d-dad… you're scaring me." she said._

_She was gripped by trepidation, not knowing what to do. when she hit the person, she spun around, facing them. When she locked eyes with the Quarian she bumped into, it moved like having a casual conversation with her. _

_"She look good! Let eat!" it hissed with the voice of a Vorcha_

_"No, you idiot!" another Quarian said. "Boss wants. Her. Alive."_

_"Hisssssss!" _

_"WHAT IS HAPPENING!?" She screamed when a pain erupted in her arm and ribs. A blazing heat spreading over her entire body, like she was on fire. _

_Her body was racked by pain, a tsunami of infernos cascading her lithe form. Hard waves against her back, like she was being dragged across the ground, her ankles were being compressed painfully, her legs felt like they were being lofted up and pulled._

_She bent over in pain but was forced upright again by an unseen force. _

_She stared at the crowd of friendly faces as they talked with foreign voices._

_"looks like the slut is waking up, put her with the rest." the Quarian sounding like a Krogan said commandingly to the others. _

_She backed to the edge of the podium and the Quarian's surrounded her, each speaking in aliens voices, some were yelling threats, begging for something, their lives? Some were whispering frantically, all talking at her, but not towards her._

_Her pain eased just a little and she felt weightless, until a huge man came and shoved her off the podium, her body falling down to the ground, when she thought she'd hit the hard dirt, it opened, split open to a dark void, not a single ray of light getting in. _

_And she dropped right into it._

_So many helmeted faces stared at her while she fell, still talking, still moving normally. _

_The slit closed, it was followed by a sound which resembled stone grating against stone._

_She was in a mass of darkness. Until she looked around, it was there was stars surrounding her, whole galaxy's everywhere. It was beautiful. Until she remembered where she was._

_She was gripped by fear, was she going insane? Where is she? She couldn't move her body as she fell, griped by paralysis, her eyes moved though, the feeling that she was outside of her body was strong with the torrents of pain. _

_She suddenly felt like she was bludgeoned by a Skycar, she let out a full throated wailed as darkness caked her vision for the third time in an hour. _

Δ

Saena awoke when her beaten body hit the ground, forcing the air out and possibly breaking her bones further. She was crying and whining, wheezing air in and out, her breathing strained.

"oh Mommy! Oh god it hurts," she wailed for her mother just wanting to go home as she forced herself up into a sitting position. Noticing a wall behind herself, she leaned against it, crying harder.

"Shut up!" yelled a Batarian as he struck her in the gut, forcing the air out,

She gasped for breath and she felt herself threatening to go under again.

She sat there dazed as she watched the raiders crowd the ships occupants into the corner they were in. Beating people whom stood up to the pirates and taking their valuables.

she saw one man attack a Turian, who proceeded to tear him apart, causing outcries of sorrow.

She noticed they were in the hanger bay, she saw a shuttle sitting there, open.

Waiting for some one to commandeer it away.

She checked her wounds, her cracked visor, which is now at this point on the verge of breaking as it is covered in cracks, making it hard to see. How long does she have until it breaks?

Her HUD on the cracked visor showed a diagram of her body, the most hurt area covered in red, yellow for mild and green for healthy spots, she didn't have much green to offer.

She broke four ribs, her left arm, her jaw was broken as well, her legs were bruising and she had internal hemorrhage across most of her abdomen.

She felt her body relax, she figured if she was going to die, might as well be comfortable. She thought this as tears flowed freely down her face.

_No wonder I feel like crap. They must've beaten me while I was unconscious._

She sat there, feeling the suit administer huge doses, alomst lethal themselves, of painkillers and antibiotics into her until she felt a hand grab her and turn her to face them, gently.

It was Ven.

"Saena! Your alive! Oh thank the ancestors!" he said, his voice shaky and it broke during he said it multiple times.

She didn't move but simply moved her head slightly towards him. She lifted her good arm let it fall back down.

"I'll get us out of this, don't worry…" he said as he hugged her, the sudden touching of her body forced a shriek out of her, causing Ven to jump back.

He gingerly sat next to her, most likely scared he'd hurt her again. They watching the screen unfold. "If I wanted to die, I'd sit around like this…" he said.

She could only manage a growl. She however lifted a arm to a group of Turians who were seated a foot away from them.

Their leader saw Saena and scooted to them and whispered to them. "Yes Quarian?" he looked her over, worry in his tone.

She recognized the armor on them, they had resemblance to Galruns, she saw an opportunity.

"…gal… runs…" she breathed.

None of the pirates noticed this or any them, probably because they were to busy looting at this point, they must be new to this profession to be this stupid.

The Turian looked confused then it hit him, understanding flooded his features and he bristled, the other Turian's heard and they became jittery, mandibles fluttering.

"Is he okay? What do we do? Did he have a plan?" he asked fervently.

"He… died… saving me…" she coughed, feeling blood trickle down her lips, her words were slured because of her cracked jaw, pain full beyond imaging. Tears leaked though her eyes, blurring her vision.

"He was a good man," He said somberly.

The leader nodded his head and the group scooted to her, surrounding her and Ven.

Ven twitched nervously while Saena kept a cold gaze on them.

There was fourteen Turian's in total. Armored but unarmed, a Turian didn't need to be armed to be dangerous

She almost started saying the plan when she was interrupted by a Krogan in a weird set of white armor, he came to them and he asked to help, he heard them. He looked relatively young but it is hard to tell, considering they lived to a 1000 years.

"My name is Khartak Wronk of clan Urdnot, I want to help rip them to pieces!" He said bitterly. "They disturbed my nap."

A Turian looked at him skeptically. "Why didn't you fight, Krogan?"

"I'm a doctor, that's why. I will fight now," He said, defending himself. "And because I was asleep, I'm a Krogan, but not stupid. " the Turian's nodded.

The Krogan in white armor came and kneeled next to her, she looked at him as he worked on her suit, he opend compartments in his suit and pulled out tubes and Medi-Gel packets. He seemed like a walking hospital. Khartak in himself, a sight to behold, a massive green tinted Krogan in white and red armor, with what seems to be hundreds of compartments of medical supplies. The sight made Saena giggle.

As he did the clasps and seals on to her unit she heard the sound of a deep bass rumbling, only it wasn't anything mechanical. It was Khartak! He was... cooing to her as he fed the Medi-Gel into her suits systems.

She looked at him weirdly and she noticed the same expressions from everyone else, pure bewilderment.

Seeing their expressions, Khartak huffed. "You squishy aliens like... soothing sounds."

Saena chuckled and everyone laughed, not able to help themselves. Khartak looked like a child left out of a joke. "What? Oh never mind."

Plugging Medi-Gel tubes to her suit, he said. "Don't worry, I'm very good at my profession, tell us the plan then… we'll do the rest."

Feeling the Medi-Gel enter her system, she felt stronger, if just a little. _maybe it'll be enough._

She prepared herself for the pain ahead and trudged through and told them the plan in labored breaths and they acknowledged it. They knew their rolls and they were the best. Some didn't like it, to many variables, but it didn't matter, time was of the essence.

So they said.

The Krogan _asked_ her name. "what is your name Quarian?"

"Saena'Taalan… Nar… Naetalir…"

"ah, so your on the Pilgrimage." he looked at her and growled, causing the Turian's to bristle at him, he simply waved them off, like they weren't a threat. He obviously new how to handle himself if he would wave off fourteen bristling Turian's.

"I'm sorry, but I need a sterile environment to work on you! Arhg! This makes my blood boil!" He looked up at the Turian's, and took command, he loomed over her like a protective father. "We do this now! My patients never die. Never."

They all nodded and all scooted themselves among the captives, which a great many have survived, most hurt and withering in pain. The pirates might make them slaves, which nobody in their right mind wanted.

Thank the ancestors the Raiders are bad their occupations.

Δ

The Turian's all nodded, and the Krogan as well, Saena and Ven too.

They were being watched by Vorcha, his beady eyes watching the captives. He was carrying an assortment of weapons, a Carnifex, Claymore, Avenger and a sniper rifle she didn't know the name of.

Ven leaned in. "I'm so so sorry!" he whispered frantically as he whacked her, hard, in her broken ribs.

Mind shattering pain ripped across her, producing a inhuman wail of pure agony that made everyone cover their ears in pain.

The Vorcha hissed and ran over. "Shush now!" it hissed as it kicked her violently in her good ribs, Its pointy toes nearly penetrating her suit.

As he was distracted a Turian came behind it, putting it in a headlock as another Turian quickly hooked a talon on its throat and ripped it out, it was followed in earnest by a huge amount of blood splattering everywhere.

The Krogan quietly picked the Claymore, the Captain the Avenger, and another two Turian's for the Carnifex and Sniper rifle.

She watched them go silently towards the next Pirate, who was asleep on a crate. To bad for him because when the Krogan got to the sleeping Batarian, he proceeded to smash his skull in with a fist.

She quickly looked away when Khartak smashed the aliens skull, revulsion filling her, she hated gore. She had to deal with it during the Reaper War, even though she was a child. She jumped when she heard the POP and the squishy noises when the mushy parts splattered. Bile rising in her throat.

Taking his weapons and apportioned to the fellow soldiers, they continued this until most of the pirates were dead, everyone had weapons. They were at the point where salience no long needed to be kept, but they continued. They were approaching the last one when two pirates walked in and saw them, raising thier guns, they fired, spitting lead. The gunshots amplified in the confined space.

The Turian's managed to get behind cover as rounds whizzed by, except for three, who got blasted, shredded through their armor and punctuated vital organs, killing them in sprays of blood and strangled death screams.

The pirates roared their victory cries as the Turian's all shot up and unloaded, killing two pirates, a Turian and Human.

The other human got behind cover in the nick of time as rounds whizzed by his head. Lucky he dogded rounds going at terminal velocity

"Fuck you!"

Ven cursed as he began to quickly crowd the hostages unto the shuttle while the soldiers held the pirates off, who had reinforcements after the Human pirate called them in. Neither side was losing people but that would change during the tide of battle. Which was very soon.

The Captain threw a Thermal grenade, causing multiple hostiles to be ousted from behind cover, they run out of cover from the crates and door way, which they were proceeded to be mowed down, they jerked violently as the rounds shattered their shields and pierced their body's, blood spurting.

Saena kept watching the events, unable to move on her own. The death of a pirate, his head blown apart, brain matter ejecting from the back of his skull onto his friends, their faces were painted with horror as they realized they had their friends _bits were on them_. Their retaliation was to pin cushion a Turian, causing outcries of frustration as they shot back, pelting a Krogan and downing him and grazing a Turian's shield.

It was until Khartak threw a Warp, catching the remaining pirates, flinging them up into the air screaming, as the Squad shot, obliterating them, they Warp and bullets causing them to be flung across the hanger in spinning circles. The Captain ran to the door as fast has his legs could propel himself, slammed the LOCK DOOR symbol, completely ignoring the rounds being shot at him, he managed to lock it, keeping the remaining pirates out, while they tried to unlock the door.

Saena let out a worried breath, not realizing she had been holding it. She was the only one left where the hostages were being held, she tried to get up but was immediately assaulted by fresh pain, letting out a whine, she feel back and waited.

The Turian's secured the area and began making the preparations to depart as Ven came to her side, along with Khartak.

"Are you still in pain Quarian?" Khartak said, kneeling next to her to take her vitals.

She nodded and Ven shuffled from foot to foot, looking around as the Captain came over.

"I wish to thank you Saena, we wouldn't have thought of a plan like that… my name is Camius Adjucus by the way, my lady," he said, looking to Khartak. "Will she be okay? What is her condition?" He said, his tone changing. From sincere to commanding with sincerity etched within.

She blushed a bit at that. Ven glowered from behind his visor. No one noticed. But Saena just noticed him, he looked just as beat as her, but still mobile. His Clan robes were ripped off. He apparently didn't offer much resistance to his captors.

"She is… stable. Don't… get comfortable, she can easily change in a blink of an eye, she on a needles thread." he said to Camius warningly.

"Enough talking! Lets get to the shuttle and hit the relay, Turian, watch the door," Khartak said, commanding them with his abrupt change in tone.

Khartak scooped her up like she was weightless to him. He walked briskly to the shuttle, almost jogging as Ven strode by the huge Krogan's side. Saena meanwhile jiggling in the arms of a giant turtle. _Hilarious_

They were five feet from the shuttle when the Squad and Camius ran into the shuttle, turned around and covered their entry to the shuttle as the banging on the hanger door increased until an explosion took the door off, sending it flying, clattering wildly into a pile of crates, adjacent to the hanger door.

The Raiders ran into the hanger screaming something but was drowned out by the engines roaring, preparing takeoff. From the SS _Camellia_

Camius began firing, surrprsing the hostiles while waving a hand for them to get out of the way of the closing shuttle door as Ven suddenly jerked and dropped to his knees, gripping at something on his throat. Saena couldn't see it, but she saw crimson liquid flow between his fingers until he let his hands drop.

He lifted his arms towards her, as if he could still be with her. As if he could fight his doom. She just stared dumbly at him. Until she saw it completely.

A hole. Straight though, she could see a pirate shooting at them through his neck. Oh god no. _I promised to keep him safe!_

Everything slowed down to a time grinding stop for Saena, she watched him fall unto his face and not move, his bright eyes dying through the haze of his visor, they life draining from them, she could vaguely hear screams and the pounding of gunfire dully as she watched her childhood friend fall to the void before her eyes. And she was powerless to stop it or change it.

She was useless.

Saena yelled and thrashed against Khartak's meaty arms, trying to get down, to run to Ven. Pain forgotten as adrenaline pumped through her. Ven was outside the shuttle, laying face down, blood pooling quickly around his twitching form.

The shuttle door closed and she felt the shuttle lift off and quickly turn, lurching to the right then forward. It took off. Out of the hanger and into space, undoubtedly going as fast as the thrusters can push it towards the Omega Relay.

Without her best friend.

Khartak set her down on a empty cot and began to take her vitals again. Mumbling about ignorance.

"Ven! We left Ven! Go back, go back!" every word a shot of pain from the fracture in her jaw.

"Quiet Quarian, your hurting yourself. do not make me put you under." Khartak said threateningly.

The prospect of sleeping frightened her, not wanting to see her parents again, she quieted. Whining and crying harshly, her body racked by sobs. She cried until there was nothing but hiccups.

After awhile she looked around, the passengers all huddled around, panicked no doubt about their undetermined futures.

Twenty minutes later they felt a lurch and an explosion. "Brace! Brace! We've been hit!" a pilot said over the PA. "Don't worry, Were hitting the relay in 30 seconds!"

"Khartak!" she called out. He was immediately by her side, checking her. "hmm?" she mumbled, gesturing to the end of the ship.

The big green Krogan looked at her. "Their chasing us," he nodded. "Do not worry, we have a skilled pilot."

She didn't hear what he said as they hit the relay, the whole ship shook, then lurched. Everyone Could feel it go faster. They were safe! She felt joy in her chest, but guilt quickly replaced it, why should she live when Ven doesn't? It didn't seem fair.

"Go to sleep Quarian, You'll wake upon the Citadel." he smiled to her and she could've sworn it looked fake.

Not thinking of it she laid her head down and drifted off to sleep.

Putting her tired body to rest. _Oh that feels nice..._

_To bad she doesn't know she was actually put under._

Δ

Khartak

He stayed by the fragile creatures side, or should he say strong creature. Not many aliens could handle that sort of abuse, besides a Krogan, but they were a whole different matter weren't they.

Khartak noticed her going slightly limp, her muscles relaxing, steady fall and rise of her chest. Yes, everything is in order. _Just hold on Quarian, were almost to safety._

Good. He checked her vitals, not good, she needs proper medical equipment and the death of her Pilgrimage Mate is not helping her, possible chance of PTSD, though not likely, considering she must've went though the Reaper War.

Khartak cursed silently, he lost to much during that blight as well.

His love, though it was looked down upon, he didn't care, not in the slightest. She was beautiful, what with her hump And plates.

When she died at those machine's hands he made a promise, never to allow someone under his care to die, not again.

Of course he has been in the medical field for 432 years, he is good, if not the best. He has cured many viruses and diseases. Published books and scientific journals, he was respected in the scientific community.

He walked past multiple injured, taking vitals and giving Medi-Gel, many shied at his touch but he wasn't having any, he helped without consent and they agreed. If grudgingly.

He eventually made it to his destination.

The Cockpit.

He walked to the pilot. "What is the status of the shuttle, Human."

"We were hit pretty bad, engines failing badly. We have one left, we'll make it to the citadel but don't expect anything glamorous, we've also been breeched in the port aft. It hit the thrusters, so no control, I'm surprised it didn't screw the Eezo core," He said. looking to Khartak."We'll have to crash land… it wont be pretty…"

Khartak nodded, feeling his stomachs lurch. He hated crash landings, so unpredictable.

"You might want to get every one seated or something, were going to exit the relay in another hour... or three."

"Thank you, Human." he said as he walked back to the waiting people.

_should've fought harder_ he thought to himself.


	4. Chapter 4: The Meeting

My shortest chapter so far, sorry. Reviews? Ideas? Talk?

Shout out: ugh...no one? Damn

* * *

><p>"I think I'll go see a movie tonight… or drink," John said.<p>

Max flicked his mandibles in an amused Turian smile. "A movie? What? An Asari love story? Or a Turian war movie… oh! I know, one of those weird Rachni movies, what with singing… their entire people talk like everything is a giant musical," Max said while munching at his Nutrient Paste.

A Rachni worker chirped, anger clear in the insects appearance. The little green bug darted off, likely going to work on more ships or go to the Citadel's Rachni hive.

Considering the Rachni don't speak anyone language that the other species do, they don't have Omni-Translators

The Rachni hive was not, in itself big, bit enough to hold thousands of Rachni, which they, by all means, earned it. The little sing song mind talkers could live on the citadel if they want, they saved Johns from an sticky situation and they were okay guys… bug… things.

Besides he found them fascinating.

Max watched it go and laughed. Slapping a knee. "I'm sorry little dude! Tell the queen I said hi!" he said, laughing a bit more.

"Hey, don't make fun of the queen man, I met her once." he said with a matter of fact tone in his voice.

Max scoffed. "Bull... you're not joking…" John shook his head. "really?"

John leaned back and remembered the tale. "Yup, I was working with some workers and Keepers on constructing their hive, they queen stopped by and inspected it, she was huge dude! Like it was scary! And the amount of Blood warriors with her. Jesus it was scary. Buuut she mind melded with a Asari diplomat and thanked us, said we were welcome to the hive, which was strange considering the Rachni are extremely territorial."

Max's jaw was literally but metaphorically hitting the floor. "Why have you never told me this!?" he said, pissed."I have always wanted to go to the Rachni hive! It looked awesome!"

"I didn't know… sorry… maybe I'll show you sometime, take them up on the offer visiting."

"Okay…" he said, shoving the paste in his mouth, probably trying to ignore the taste.

They descended into a comfortable silence, eating while workers came in and out, Geth were frequent, but only to converse with other people, a Krogan came by, eating a huge plate of some nasty looking food.

A crowd of Turians and Humans came in, chatting and relaxing, when they settled in they even including John and Max into their friendly banter, which was hilarious and more than alright to John.

"-then I said, 'Baby, you couldn't handle me anyways!'" A Turian boasted.

Everyone laughed until John said. "I'm pretty sure it was the other way around buddy." They roared with laughter.

Even the Geth Joined into the banter, if awkwardly.

"So circuits! Got anyone special? If your circuits could handle it," said a tanned Human.

The blue Geth Trooper guffawed a mechanical laugh. "No, Geth do need to reproduce, and we're not dependant in our women, like _you,_ squishy organic."

John quietly thanked the Quarian's for rebooting the Geth and giving them a modified, if better A.I system like the Reaper code.

The group _ooo'ed_ at his burn form the Geth Engineer, the dude, named Hermes choked back his food during due to a laughing fit at the sudden rebuke.

"Burned by a damn A.I, nicely done Hermes."

"Not as bad as your whipped ass, 'oh yes dear, coming dear!'" Hermes joked in a pathetic impression of the male, while the white Human blushed hotly in embarrassment.

"You gong to eat that?" Said a burly man.

The questioned man glared at the questioner. "You never stop eating."

"I'm sorry my wife never feeds me!" he argued "Now, about that roll…"

"This is to funny," John said.

The banter continued until the room slowly quieted, everyone talking about random topics, from family to current events. Everyone steered clear of the Reaper topics, still an open sore for everyone in the galaxy.

John finished testing his gruel and got up, grunting as he did so.

He made is way over to the trash can and dumped the food. After this he retook his seat by Max, listening to the gossiping men.

A few minutes passed and their break was almost over, sensing this, the group start cleaning. Until a shrill alarm went off, the claxon loud and blaring.

Everyone stood stunned, coiled like springs, waiting for orders.

The room was cloaked in yellow caution lights and the PA came over, a girl speaking. "ALL HANDS PREPARE FOR EMERGENCY LANDING FROM SHUTTLE, TEAMS 86, 19, 08 PREP FOR BOARDING FOR RESCUE."

John bolting for the doors instantly, they are team 19. Max was a sprinter, has nimble and fast, he was right beside John and they and everyone left the room, going to their stations.

Max kept up as they went.

"That's us, you're in armor so you'll be fine! Put a helmet on and I'll grab my suit! go!" he barked the orders out and Max nodded curtly and bolted down a different corridor.

John doubled his speed, pumping his arms and heading in breath, his food hurt but it didn't stop him. He almost ran past the room but skidded to a grudging halt and jumped in.

John got to the room and threw on him environmental armor, durable against flames and toxins, he would be fine while going inside a crashed shuttle. Strapping the armor's clasps and seals on in record time, he was already dashing to his post while securing his helmet on.

His armor shone a bright yellow, but just consisted of a fine and very durable weave of Carbon-fiber tubing and fabrications that contorted to his features, his helmet was the same but with a visor which was open across his face, allowing visibility for the wearer to be unhindered.

Opening the door to the hanger he was greeted by Max and the other two teams that were there for the boarding party, some wore bulky armor, the armor were exoskeletons for heavyweight lifting, they would most likely need the the muscle. Most wore packs with plasma torches for cutting and it about everyone wore the armor John did, some had their own specialized suits.

After 30 seconds they were greeted by a bright light of a rapidly descending shuttle, it rocked violently, obviously trying to stabilize its self to no avail. There was smoke billowing from the side, black and angry. it was as if they were hit by a photon torpedo. This didn't seem good for John, it most likely came from the Terminus systems, but it could've been closer, after the Reaper War, all the militaries were diminished, they still are. He stood quietly and found himself quickly awaiting the crash bound ship.

For a few heart wrenching moments it came towards them, until it struck the metal ground, jarring it violently. It looked like the bottom of the vessel was ripped apart. The whole shuttle twisted and spun, sending shards everywhere. One flew and struck a man named Reynolds, cutting into him deeply, blood instantly started to pool, he was quickly dragged out to the infirmary by a pair of medics.

The ship was finally stopped, if grudgingly. By the Gravity Teethers, it was about to tip a third time but was grappled by the gravity teethers, stopping it dead.

Thank god for the teethers, or this crash would've been exponentially worse, possibly ending in depressurization of this dock. John also thanked every god that this was the biggest port on the citadel, it was made for warships to dock if necessary.

Once the situation was stable, the fire Responder teams moved in, while the fire teams were dousing the flames in a fire repellent foam, John's team and the other two were jogging to the entrance of the ship.

Dread filled John. What were they going to find? Survivors? Virus? A bomb? To many possibilities, and John didn't feel right. Something bad or good might happen. A ice-sickle of dread seeped into his chest.

The best scenario would to find a group of hapless victims, which would be alright to John in all of his forseeability.

The worst case scenario, pirates could have stown away, it wouldn't be the first time for it to happen. Or the ship could go off, its engines combust. The explosion would catastrophic, killing everyone on board and beyond. The radiation that would fallout would cause this dock to be quarantined.

John shuddered at the prospect, the ice-sickle of dread only grew larger in his chest.

They got to the entrance of the shuttle and they assessed the situation. One of the men ran up and tired to pry the door open, to no avail. "Sir, the door is jammed, it won't open, we need to force it open." A skinny man said to John, the little mans biotics flared. "I recommend Biotics to force the hatch down," he said.

They instantly put John as the leader, why? He didn't know, he didn't mind though. He knew the drill and protocols. Feeling his mind go into command mode, he set his mind straight and issued the orders, his voice steel.

"I agree," John said, flaring his biotics. Anyone who was a Biotic in the three teams flared as well. "You all know the drill, you three get the left side, you two are with me on the right. Go!"

The non-biotics stepped back and the six Biotics stepped together, a huge mass of body's and cackling energy, some with darkness around them, like a mass effect field while some has an atmosphere of electricity swiveling around them.

John could feel their powers, they were straining to get the stubborn door open, it was creaking, slowly opening but was to stubborn to the fact that it needed to open.

"Keep… at… it!"

John slowly lost his strength, feeling the tenacity of the Biotics sap at his energy, fatigue weighing down on him like a ton of bricks. He noticed in his peripheral the strain on the others faces behind their visors. His mind began to fog with exhaustion, every fiber of his being cold for rest.

_Can't… stop… now!_

At one point a buff, burly man broke off, staggering backwards. He breathed deeply, his chest heaving. Then he threw himself back up and applied twice as much force, the electricity crackling around him doubled.

John was almost forced to stop but the door was groaning like the metal itself was being ripped apart, the noise unbearable, a few people let out cries but they were finally rewarded with the door swinging open with a vengeance.

Now, the door didn't just open, it flew open, hitting the ground so hard it dented the flooring, it bounced and settled with loud BANG that resonated though them all with violent vibrations.

The six men blew out huffs of breaths and bent over, sagging with relief at the strain of using so much force. Hands on knees, they regained their balance. John mentioned the others of the Boarding Party to go ahead and assess the damage.

Smoke billowed out with purpose at top of the ceiling, no one could see into the ship through the haze of black smoke, this quickly cured itself when it gushed out in torrents smoke dissipating slightly.

The rescue teams stared in worry, waiting to see if it will explode, until John bolted into the shuttle. Feeling the need to help anyone inside.

John flicked his Headlights on and entered the smoking wreckage, keeping a wary eye for the hurt passengers.

_Where are they?_

The others quickly came in after him and started searching, in a matter of second they began to find the passengers, every single passenger except a few were bloody and grimy. There was one man, a wheezy looking man. He was still conscious as he looked at them and cried out in relief.

"Oh thank god you came! Help!"

"Max, get him!" John said, pointing st the man. He immediately began issuing orders, seeing the rave situation.

"You three!" he said, pointing to team 08. "Get the most unstable out of here, DOUBLE TIME!" they nodded and got to work, gently carrying the worst out. Applying Medi-Gel quickly to the bleeding and burned to help stabilize some of the passengers vitals.

"You!" he barked, pointing at the burly man. "Clear away the wreckage!" the man in the Exoskeleton instantly began to throw pieces of debris out the ships hatch.

"The rest of us, we start getting the rest!" he said as he bent down to pick up a attractive petite girl.

Δ

the rescue operation continued for an hour or two before it calmed down, carting off the most hurt then the mild, and the ones who could walk after being woken from there terrible accident, walked off the ship to be carted off as well to be checked by professionals.

They found about a dozen blood splattered Turians, the blood obviously came from different species. So they had a battle, why? He waved his Omni-Tool over the blood, it was Vorcha, Krogan, Batarian, Human, Turian. It was obvious they were in a fight t the death, they fought while the others cowered.

_Geuss these guys were busy_

He saw there emblem, they were designated as The 38th Shock Division!

Or at least a part of them.

John remembered fighting with them in London, he silently saluted them and quickly got them out for treatment, sort of like a repayment for the sacrifice they suffered through during the war. Knowing full well he could never personally repay them, he could try though.

At one point they found the most odd looking Krogan crumpled in a corner under a heavy sheet of metal, after much Biotic usage and brute strength they got the half ton Krogan and metal out. He didn't look to great with his green head plate having a huge nasty gash along it, he was bleeding profusely through parts of his armor. Its bulbous armor busted.

The Krogan shot awake and gripped Johns arm tightly. John winced under the pressure applied to hiss forearm.

The massive Krogan mumbled something about a Quarian being close to death and in need of immediate attention, but John looked through the 39 passengers and there was no injured Quarian.

"Find… the Quarian... she is… in critical… condition…" he mumbled as he was carted off on a reinforced stretcher by medics in white clothing.

John at first thought he was being delusional, almost forgetting about what the white armored turtle said. Dismiss it and go home, it would be easier. but… why would he put a persons life jeopardy because he was lazy and go drink?

Feeling ashamed, he mentally scolded himself for being so heartless towards someone else's life that could be almost at the end while he sat alone by the shuttles hatch, feeling ashamed he hung his head. Feeling what he needed to do, he looked up.

_What is wrong with you John! You would never leave someone behind!_

_Did the war change me so much I would ignore a plea to help someone because my 'shift is almost over? H_e thought

So he turned around to the dormant ship and stared at the now dead ship. Around him there was a flurry of activities, people cleaning the debris odd the deck as quickly as they could, groups were getting equipment to move the ship from its crashed position, medics helping people by injections of Omni-Gel to procure their cooperation through the pain, some had to have ER level surgery or they could die. He heard the doctors yelling instructions, trying to stabilize the dying patients.

Turing on his flashlight, he walked back in, taking his time to comb the deck, he searched under debris, covering the entire left half of the ship, wondering where the Quarian could be, he turned around and started to dig around for the Quarian until he bent to examine a pile of rubble.

Something caught his eye.

in his peripheral he saw there was ruble in a spot around a corner of the shuttle, something shone blue through a slit in the dreck with the tiniest fraction.

With his interest piqued he cautiously walked over to it, he saw more of the bright blue shine. He got a few feet closer when he heard a pain filled whine, like from a wounded animal who hurt its foot.

He stopped and he felt goosebumps, the hair on the back of his neck standing at attention.

He heard it again and his paralysis was shattered, he sprung towards the mound and quickly dropped to his knees and proceeded to rip the metal sheets off of the Qaurian he has been looking ages for, each piece thrown off revealed a very beat but beautiful lithe form of a Quarian.

She turned her cracked and dented helmet towards John, pain etched into every movement she committed to.

"Help… me?" it voiced in a weak and very slurred but within the pain and slurred speech, the voice held a very beautiful tone. Like a bird singing in a early mourning In spring.

Kneeling beside her, beset with worry, he activated his Omni-Tool diagnosis program and quickly waved it over her body.

He gasped at the extent of her injuries. How is she still alive?! He didn't know, only that she needed to be put in the intensive care ward immediately.

Now.

He grabbed some… no, more like_ tons_ of Medi-Gel and stuck it in her emergency induction port. He heard an audible sigh of relief from the Quarian as the suit, though badly broken, performed the medical programs for her, it slathered the Gel on her underneath her suit and helped in her while it was injected into her system. He saw her relax visibly and he smiled.

She looked at him with luminous blue eyes. It threatened to drown him in those pools. But what jarred him back to reality was the frightened look in them, she whimpered softly to him and he grunted in emotional pain.

She looked beaten and worn, the diagram shows she was beaten as well, confirming it. The poor girl, she got it the worst than anyone on board. What did she do? Did she get captured?

He gently laid a hand on her helmeted cheek. "My name is John, don't worry, you're safe now… your on the citadel," he said gently, trying to calm her down.

She stared at him, not moving. Nodding to her, John put his arms under her torso, where she isn't in pain, of course. And lifted her. When he did so, she let out a high pitched whine. He shushed her and whispered into her ear.

"Its okay, its okay," he said. As he carried her out, trying his best not to jostle the hapless girl.

As he carried her bridal style he quietly asked. "What's your name?"

"Saena… 'Taalan," she said weekly.

He smiled as he brought her down the hatch, people stopped to stare and frantically called for a medic and a stretcher.

"My name is John Hughes, its nice to meet you. Just wish it was under better circumstances."

There was doctors sprinting to them with medical equipment. "SHE IS CRITICAL," He shouted, worried in his tone. "She needs a rode to the hospital now!

Saena only watched limply. _Wow, he saved me… John Hughes… I like it…_

When the doctors got to them, they took her and placed her down upon the comfortable stretcher, e doctors began checking her over and darting off with her to the hospital. He noticed she was still watching him and he waved.

She waved back. Then fell unconscious.

He watched until she disappeared around the bend in a flurry of white coats.

_Saena… Saena… its beautiful_…

John was completely lost to his thoughts as his friend came up and tapped John on the shoulder. Startling him.

"Oh Jesus!" he yelped as he spun around. "Oh… Max, its you… yea?"

Max looked at him. "Good job finding her… thank the spirits you found her," Max said with satisfaction.

John scowled. "She was beat! She should have been dead!"

Max stepped back, wary at his friends fury. "But she's not! And she has you to thank that for," he said, trying to placate John.

John sagged. Something in him broke when he saw her leave, like a foreboding feeling. He wanted to get to know this drop-dead gorgeous specimen, and he despaired knowing it wasn't going to come true.

Max did a Turian's frown and put arm around Johns shoulders. "Come on, she'll be okay… lets go home."

John thanked god that humans didn't have subharmonics like a Turian, for max would know how bad he truly felt. But John felt better at one aspect, she'll be okay.

And that's enough for John.

He smiled and walked. "Okay."

Δ

He downed another shot. Feeling it burn ferociously down his throat.

"Anlotherrr!" he slurred out to the bartender as he slammed the now empty bottle down on the counter. He swayed and grined.

The bartender shook his head and poured another. "Here… last one!"

He looked at the swaying bottle, why is it moving so much? Is he moving? _The world is tilted!_

"LAX!"

"Walt!?"

Max looked over and belched. Swaying in his seat. They have been drinking for most of the night and didn't really plan on stopping. Unless their kidneys gave out, which is a real possibility.

John frowned, anger rising. "D-don't swalk berk!"

"Hey Huuuummmaaannn, don't kalk reck to meh lerk DAT!" Max screamed.

John was drinking heavily because he wanted to forget today, because as it turned out. A lot of the victims died, about fourteen, John felt powerless to help them, he couldn't and he wasn't fast enough. and John was feeling every bit of despair as he had when he lost his arm.

He couldn't bring himself to look at the list of the deceased in fear of seeing the name Saena. With her injuries he assumed they couldn't help the girl, instead they probably let her drift to the void.

_She might be alive... not like Liz... oh Liz, why did you have to be indoctrinated by the reapers?! You could've come home..._

He saved her and he wanted to meet the girl he saved. He was striped of the chance.

_Oh well I wouldn't be friends with a girl like her anyways._

Max kept talking unintelligibly until another Turian came up threatened them. "Will you shut up, you drunkard!" he snarled. "Were trying to enjoy ourselves!"

Max and John swerved around. Drinks sloshing over the brims. "Shrup…. Urp… BIRD!" John yelled at the end.

Max growled but hiccupped, causing laughter from the duo while the Serious Turian took a combat stance, his buddies getting behind him. Another Turian, and two Humans.

John bent over laughing his heart out. Not realizing the threat they posed in the slightest. "L-looky! Fistly pyjacks!"

John, in his drunkenness decided to have first blood, so he got up and threw a punch as hard as he could at the Turian who insulted his honor. Miscalculating his throw with force and precision, accidentally struck Max in his mandible with a audible _thunk_, causing an outcry of pain and anger.

Max threw his bottle but missed by a long shot and struck the wall adjunct to them.

Max proceeded to launched himself and tackled a Turian, thinking he attacked him, not John. In a frantic storm of punches, Max knocked the Turian unconscious.

Max went to tackle another one but the sober human sidestepped and Max launched forward with out stop, flinging himself head over heels into a drunken heap.

John attacked the red haired human, clocking him in the jaw. Bruising his knuckles as the redhead was almost thrown backwards.

The redhead responding with a whack of his own, caused John to topple backwards, landing on his behind. "I wasern't redeer!" he slurred out as he passed out.

Max held his own, if badly until a few Krogan bouncers grabbed them by the collars and carried them out of the bar.

John awoke and thrashed wildly like a petulant child, not making a difference. "LET MER GO!"

They didn't let go. They threw.

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><p>I did the drinking scene to portray how they deal with loss and so on! I'll put within the next few days! PM me if you wish!<p> 


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